Control apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR L y/m G ///ey BY L. G. RILEY CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19

Aug. 16, 1932.

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Aug. 16, 1932. L. G* RILEY CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Deo. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AToRNE-Y Patented Aug. 16, 1932 vUN1T1=;D STATES PATENT oFFIcE LYNN G. RILEY, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,y

Application led December 19,

My invention relates generally to control apparatus and more particularly to switches suitable for reversing the direction of flow of current through electrical apparatus.

Reversing switches for railway motors, constructed in accordance with the prior art and with which I am familiar, have been of the drum type in which Contact segments, mounted on a rotatable drum, are disposed to be engaged by contact fingers. However, switches of the drum type are unsuitable for applications requiring the conduction of currents of high value'v through the contact members, as suicient contact area and pressure cannot be provided.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a reversing switch which shall have comparatively few parts, be simple in operation and be readily and economically manufactured.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide for retaining a reversing switch in either of its closed positions without maintaining its actuating means energized.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reversing switch which shallhave no sliding contact members and shall have a hi gh current-carrying capacity.

Other objects of my invention will be eX- plained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those. skilled in the art.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and scope of the invention. reference may be had to the following detailed description,

= taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view,in front elevation, of a reversing switch constructed in accordance withmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, in end elevation, of the switch shown in Fig. 1 and, f

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken along the lines III- III of Fig. 1, with part of the apparatus rotated through a ninety degree angle.

Referring to the drawings, designates generally a reversing switch, which may be utilized for reversing the direction of the iow of current through motors or other electrical apparatus by transferring` the motor e t I coNrnoL APPARATUS 1930. Serial No. 503,459.

conductors from one electrical circuit to another.

yAs illustrated, the various parts of the switch 10 may be mounted upon an insulating panel 11,' thereby constituting a complete unit which may be readily mounted in any suitable location. The various parts o switch are accessible from in front of the panel, which facilitates the making of electrical connections to the contact members of the switch.

The switch 10 comprises three stationary contact members 12, 13 and 14 which are mounted upon the panel 11. The fixed contact members arey disposed to be engaged by two movable contact members 15 and 16.V

Flexible shunts 17 and 18 are provided for connecting the movable contact members 15 and 16 toconductor supports 19 and 20.

In order to provide a reversing switch havingcomparatively few parts, the fixed contact member 13 is disposed to be engaged by eitherof the movable contact members, thereby providing the equivalent of a double pole, double throw reversing switch. As the movable contact members are actuated to their alternatepositions, the fixed contact member'13 is alternately engaged by the contact members 15 and 16.

With a view to providing a simple and positive means for actuating the movable contact members into and out of engagement with the receiving contact members, an air engine 21 is mounted on the panel 11 by a plurality of mounting bolts 22. The air engine may be of a standard construction and comprises pistons 23 and 24 which are mounted incylinders 25 and 26, respectively. Admissionrand exhaustion of air to and from the cylinders 23 and 24 may be controlled by magnet valves (not shown) of a standard type. The pistons 23 and 24 actuate a rack 27 which rotates a pinion 28. The pinion 28 is mounted in sleeve bearings 29 which are retained in position by a bearing cap 30.

In order that the contact members 15 and 16 may be actuated by the air engine 21, work arms 31 and 32 are connected to the contact members 15 and 16, respectively. Each ofthe work arms comprises a pair of spaced bars,

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which are pivotally mounted, at their lower ends, upon the fra-me of the air engne 21 and pivotally connected, at their upper ends, to the movable contact member.

'Ihe work arms 31 and 32 are actuated simultaneously by a cross-head 33 which, in turn, is actuated by the pistons of the air engine 21. In this instance, the cross-head 33 is actuated by means of pivotally mounted lever arms 34 which are actuated by eccentrics 35 on the pinion 28. It will be readily understood that, if desired, the eccentrics may be disposed to actuate the cross-head directly, thereby omitting the lever arms 34.

In order to apply pressure to the contact members 15 and 16 to maintain suliicient pressure between the contact members of the Snitch to enable them to conduct currents of high value without heating, a plurality of springs 3G, 3.7, 38 and 39 are interposed between the cross-head 33 and the work arms 31 and As shown in Fig. 1, the springs are mounted on shafts 41 and 42. It will be observed that spacers 43 and 44 are provided between the two bars of each of the work arms 31 and 32, respectively. The spacers 43 and 44 are provided with projecting lugs 45 and 46 which are engaged by the springs 36, 3T, 38 and 39.

As shown in Fig. l, the movable contact member 15 engages the iixed contact member 12, and the movable Contact member 16 engages the lixed contact member 13. It will be seen that the cross head 33 compresses the springs 3? and 39, thereby applying pressure to the movable Contact members by means of the work arms 31 and 32.

If it is desired to actuate the movable contact members 15 and 16 into engagement with the lined contact members 13 and 14, respectively, the pistons 23 and 24, of the air engine 2l, may e actuated, by air pressure, toward the left. The rack 27 `will then cause the pin'on 23 to rotate in a counter clockwise direction. The cross-head 33 will be actuated tov/ard the right by means of the lever arm 34 and the eccentric 35. In this manner, the springs 3.7 and 39 are released, and the springs 36 and 38 are compressed, thereby causing the contact member 15 to be disengaged from the contact member 12 and to engage the contactmember 13. At the same time, the contact member 16 is disengaged trom the contact member' 13 and engages the contact member 14.

It will be seen that the contact members are retained in a closed position by the eccentric 35 and the toggle mechanism 34, when the eccentric is moved past center. It is, therefore, not necessary to maintain air pressure in the cylinders in order to retain the switch in either ot its closed positions.

The movable contact members may be returned to the. position shown in the drawings by causing the pistons 23 and 24 to be actuated toward the right by the application of air pressure. As previously explained, the movement of the pistons may be controlled by magnet valves or other suitable means.

It it is desired to retain the contact members of the switch in the open7 position, that is, in a position in which none of the Contact members are engaged, the air pressure in the cylinders 25 and 2G may be so controlled that the pistons 23 and 24 and, therefore, the crosshead 33, will be retained in a mid-position, thereby retaining the movable contactmembers in a position midway between the fixed contact members.

Since numerous changes may the above-described constr ction and Vdifferent embodiments of the invention may be nade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all mattei' contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. A reversing switch, comprising, in combina tion, a receivingP contact member, a movable contact member disposed to engage the receiving contact member, a work arm for actuating the movable contact member into and out of engagement with the receiving contact member, an eccentric for actuating the work arm, means for actuating the eccentric when energized, and means interposed bctween the eccentric and the work arm to apply pressure to the movable contact member when said means for actuating the eccentric is deenergized.

2. A reversing switch, comprising, in combination a receiving contact member, a movable contact member disposed to engage the recei ying contact member, a work arm for actuating the movable contact member into and out of engagement with the receiving contact member, a cross-head :tor actuating the work arm, a resilient member interposed between the cross-head and the work arm; a lever arm for actuating the crossliead, an eccentric for actuating the lever arm and means for actuating the eccentric.

3. A reversing switch comprising, in combination, a plurality of receiving contact members, a movable contact member disposed to engage the receiving contact members, a work arm for actuating the movable contact member into and out of engagement with the receiving contact member", a cross-head for actuating the work arm, a. resilient member interposed between the cross-head and the work arm to apply pressure to the movable contact member, a lever arm for actuating the cross-head, an eccentric for actuating the level' arm and means for actuating the eccentric.

4. A reversing switch comprising, in combination, a plurality of receiving Contact be made in members, a plurality of movable contact members disposed to engage the receiving contact members, a plurality of pivotally mounted work arms for actuating the movable contact members into and out of engagement with the bers, a cross-head for actuating the work arms, resilient members interposed between the cross-head and the work arms to apply pressure to the movable contact members, a pivotally mounted lever arm for actuating the cross-head, an eccentric for actuating the lever arm, and an air engine for actuating the eccentric. f c

5. A reversing switch comprising, in combination, a pluralityvof stationary contact members, a pair of movable contact members disposed to engage the stationary contact members, one of said stationary contact members being disposed to be engaged by each of the movable contact members, a plurality of Work arms for simultaneously actuating the movable contact members into and out of lengagement with the stationary contact members, an eccentric for actuating the work arms, and pneumatically operatedmeans for actuating the eccentric.

6. A reversing switch comprising a lsta-y tionary contact member, a movable contact member disposed to engage the stationary contact member, a panel for supporting the stationary contact member, a conductor support mounted upon the panel, a flexible shunt for connecting the movable contact member to the conductor support, a pivotally mounted work arm for actuating the movable contact member into and out of engagement with the stationary contact member, a cross-head for actuating the work arm, any eccentric for actuating the cross-head, and an air engine for actuating the eccentric, said air engine being mounted on the supporting panel.

7 A reversing switch comprising, in combination, a receiving contact member, a movable contact member disposed to engage the receiving contact member, a toggle mechanism for actuating the movable contact member into and out of engagement with the receiving contact member, an eccentric for actuating the toggle mechanism, meansfor actuating the eccentric when energized, said eccentric and toggle mechanism being disposed to retain the in engagement with the receiving contact member when said actuating means is deenergized.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subs1c9rgi ed my name this 12th day of December,

LYNN G. RILEY.

receiving contact memmovable contact member 

